11 February 1972 – David Bowie – Town Hall (maybe)

11th February 1972 – David Bowie – Town Hall

This is another gig that I’ve had difficulty in verifying if it actually took place.

Numerous David Bowie archive websites list the 11th February 1972 as the 2nd night of the Ziggy Stardust tour.  However, the gig was not advertised in the Bucks Free Press and the performance (if it took place), passed without comment in the local press.

The date came less than two week’s after Bowie’s legendary performance at Aylesbury’s Borough Assembly Hall.  That 29th January 1972 date saw Bowie perform tracks from Ziggy Stardust for the first time.  An advert for this gig appeared in both the Bucks Free Press and Midweek in the days leading up to ‘Friars’ show.

Advert for David Bowie gig in Aylesbury 29th January 1972 – from Bucks Free Press

But what about the High Wycombe show?  A young Bowie had performed in High Wycombe back in March 1966 but by 1972 he was now reaching superstar status.

Any information on any of his High Wycombe performances, gratefully received.

These are links to two websites that list the 11 February 1972 gig

http://www.davidbowie.com/news/ziggy-imperial-college-day-1972-54146

The above suggests the High Wycombe show was ‘debatable’.

http://www.bowiewonderworld.com/tours/tour72.htm

2 thoughts on “11 February 1972 – David Bowie – Town Hall (maybe)”

  1. Just found your great website, really missing some 70’s stuff that I remember starting with Bowie NOT playing at the Grammar School see ad below. This may help solve the confusion on this post, the gig was definitely advertised, but Bowie did not show up (not even close, no equipment, etc.) the great Jonathan Kelly played through the DJ’s set up, and it was a great gig, one of several he did in and around wycombe.

    1. Thanks for the comments Kevin,

      The image at the foot of this comment appeared in the New Musical Express the following week.

      There was also a response from a fan in the NME that read as follows:

      IS DAVID BOWIE really interested in all his fans? If so, what’s this crap about Bowie being too busy with gigs during the end of June to bother with the booked High Wycombe one? Over 2,000 fans awaited Bowie after queuing up outside the Queen’s Hall I Wycombe for over 2 hours on June 30. On arrival we received a mild apology dubiously explaining David’s absence. instead, all the fans had to put up with a sit-down disco and a third-rate “Sinatra”. To hell with the Croydon gig that David intends repeating for the 1,000 that were unable to get in. What about the disappointed over 2,000 at Wycombe? – CLIFF PARKER, High Wycombe.

      I still wonder if the February 1972 gig took place?

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